Attachment for vacuum-sweepers.



J. BROEKEMA. ATTACHMENT FOR VACUUM SWBEPERS,

1 9 1 Ro R p A w m m P APPLICATION FILED JULY 18, 1908.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

run, A. CQBPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

ATTACHMENT FOB V ACU UI-SWEEPE BSL To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN Brennan, a'

for-V'acuum-Sweepers, of which the followmiiisa specification.

y invention relates in general to pneumatic carpet sweepers, an larl to an attachment fortrapping pins, 11 es, hair pins &c.

In the usual pneumatic carpet cleaning systems, sweeping instruments ada ted to pass over the carpet are connected ysections of flexible hose with riser pipes connected-with exhausting mechanism located in the basement of, a building or at any other I leakage.

convenient point. In the operations of such systems, considerable difliculty and inconvenience has been experienced by reason --of needles, pins, hair ins, tacks, and other similar. articles, whic are picked up by the sweepers and passed into-v the sections of hose where their sharp oints stick into the material of the hose and form projections in the hose upon. which collect lint, threads and other refuse from the carpet. The passageway through the 'sectionsof hose is'consequently obstructed so as to prevent the operation of the floor sweepers. In order to remove such obstructions, the sweeper must be detached from the hose and a rod or similar device forced into the 4 hose to forcibly dislodge the pins &c. This practice causes the pins and such articles to rupture the hosesothat it is dwtroyed by reason of The primary object of my invention isto provide a device through which the refuse passes from the swee will collect pins, nee es, tacks, hair pins and similar articles, and prevent their passing into the hose,-bu t which will not interfere I provide a fl attac artic es which w with the free p of air and dust through" the hose. I A .furtherob'cct of my invention is to f cut for pneumatihc caiiplgt swee rso'rtra'i pinsor oter ie ilfbe mple in constructioni more particu' r to the hose, which no. 444,249. Y

inexpensive to manufacture and eflicient in My inventionwill be more fully described hereinafter w th reference to the; accompanying drawmg, in which the same is illustrated m a convenient and practical form, and in which-'' Figure l is a perspective view of a vacuum swee er of any suitable construction having attac ed thereto my improvement; Fig. 2,

an elevational view of my improved attachment with I the'cover open; and Fig. 3, a

proved attachment, on line 3, Fig. 2.

'ljhe same reference characters are used to designate the same parts .in the several fig 'ures of the drawing.

JOHN BBOEIIIEIA, 0! ROGERS PARK, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOB '10 KABSHALL FIELD G: 6011- 1 Patented Apr. 5,1910.

central longitudinal sectlon through my imconduits with riser pi s extending vertically in a building, suc riser pipes communicating with, exhaust mechan1sm. My invention does not relate to the riser pipes and exhaust mechanism, and hence it is unneces-,

sary to illustratethe same in order that a clear and full understanding may be had of my improvement.

y supporte upon-the end of the handle a of a sweeper and to communicate with the end of the hose or flexible conduit A, as clearly shown in Fig. 1 ofthe drawing.

1 The construction of the specific form of attachment in which'I have shown my invention embodied, will be readily undernngroved attachment is adapted to be sov I stood by reference to Figs. 2 and 3. B dos i ates a chamber providedwith a removafie cover B. The cover-B is preferabl hingedto the-chamber; as indicated at and is retained in closed position by any suitable fastening device, as, for instance, a spring catch B, secured to the chamber and assing-throlgh a ide 100 b. The cover is provid wit a tub ar extension b which is adapted to be inserted within the end of the handle a of the sweeper. A similar tubular coupling 6 projects from the end wall of the chamber B and is adapted to be inserted within the end of the hose A. Located within the chamber B is a' removable cup-shaped diaphragm C. The diaphragm is spaced axially away from the end wall of the chamber B by means of the lugs or brackets 01 secured to the outer surface of the end of the diaphragm, Similar lugs or brackets d serve to space the cupshaped diaphragm axially away from the cover B of the chamber, such lugs beingshown as secured to the inner surface of the cover B. The cup-sha ed diaphragm is spaced within the cylindrical wall of the chamber B by means 'of U-shaped brackets or channels 0 secured around the cylindrical portion of the. diaphragm. Extending through the end wall of the diaphragm are short tubes 0 arranged axially and spaced suitable distances apart.

The operation of my improved attachment is as follows: When in position for use,

as shown in Fig. 1,. the air and refuse from the surface over which the sweeper moves passes through the cou ling b and thence either around the cupaped diaphragm or through the tubes adnto the coupling 12?, and thence to the hose A. similar devices, entering the coupling 3), whether they passaroundthe diaphragm or through the tubes extending therethrough, are retained Within the chamber B, owing to the arrangement of the passages. It will be observed that the tubes 0 extend within a short distance of the end wall of the chamber B so thatpins &c. passing into the tubes will remain therein, while the.location of the open end of the cup-shaped diaphragm adjacent the cover B of the chamber is so close that pins and such devices cannot readily pass to the space between" the cylindrical walls of the diaphragm and chamber, and even if they should pass to such space the sharp turns leading therefrom to the space between the circular walls of the dia-'- phragm and chamber prevent them from passing to the coupling 6 Threads and other refuse which pass into the chamber will be retained therein, but the air and dust pass freely through the chamber,so that the operation of the vacuumsystem is in no wise impeded. When pins, needles, refuse &c. have accumulated within the chamber, the cover B" thereof is opened and the cupshaped diaphragm removed, after which the refuse, needles, pins &c. may be readily removed and the diaphragm again placed within the chamber and the cover closed.

From the foregoing description, it will be observed that I have invented an im- Needles, pins, and

proved attachment for use in connection with pneumatic cleaning systems, by means of which the usual sections of hose are protected from injury by needles, pins and similar articles, but which does not in any way interfere with the operation of the systems.

While I have described more or less in detail the specific form in which I have illustrated my invention as'ernbodied, yet I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself thereto, as I contemplate changes in form, roportion of parts, and substitution of equivalents, as circumstances may require, or as may be deemed expedient.

I claim:- I

1. In a pneumatic carpet cleaner, the combination with a sweeper, of a conduit com- .municating therewith, and means comprising a diaphragm having tubes communicating with openings therethrough for pre venting needles, pins and similar devices groin passing from said sweeper to said conuit.

2. In apneumatic carpet cleaner, the combination with a sweeper comprising a member to engage the carpet and a hollow handle, of a flexible conduit with which the hollow" handle communicates, a trap interposed between said hollow handle and said conduit for collecting needles, pins, and similar articles, and means for detachably supporting said trap upon the exterior of the hollow handle.

3. In a pneumatic carpet cleaner, the combination with a sweeper,.of a flexible conduit,-and an attachment interposed between and removably connected to said sweeper and conduit, said attachment. comprising a chamber and a removable diaphragm therein through which the refuse laden air passes.

4. In an attachment for pneumatic carpet cleaners, the combination with a cham-- ber having relatively small inlet and outlet openings, of a removable cup-shaped diaphragm within said chamber having an open head adjacent the inlet opening of the chamber, and means for spacing said diaphragm within said chamber to formangular passages bet ween the adjacent side and end walls of the diaphragm and chamber.

5. In an attachment for pneumatic carpet'cleaners, the combination with a chamber. having couplings adapted to communlcate with the sweeper and with the vacuum producing'mechanism, of a removable cupshaped diaphragm located within said chamber, means for spacing said diaphragm within said chamber to form an annular passageway between the cylindrical Walls of the diaphragmand chamber, and tubes extending through the circular wall of the diaphragm and extending adjacent the end wall of the chamber.

, 6. In a pneumatic carpet cleaner system,

the combination with a sweeper, of a conduit communicating with .said sweeper, a h chamber through which refuse laden air In testimony whereof, I have subscribed 5 passes from said sweeper to said conduit, a I my name. diaphragm having-holes therethrough and Y JOHN BROEKEMA. located in said chamber adjacent a wall Witnesses: thereof, toward which the air passes after GEO.. L. WILKINSON, .passing through the diaphragm, whereby A NA L. Savom.

needles, Pins and similar devices contact said '10 wall be ore passing entirely through said diaphragm. 

